The purpose of this chapter is to provide course outline preparers, program coordinators, department chairs, and Curriculum Committee members with guidance as they start the process of establishing course or program prerequisites, corequisites, and advisories. The Matriculation Office coordinates the review process of all proposed requisites. The process, in brief:

Departments submit the necessary documentation through CurricUNET. The Assessment and Prerequisite Coordinator (of the Matriculation Office) reviews and advances the documentation to the Prerequisite Review Subcommittee (of the Curriculum Committee).

The Subcommittee reviews the documentation on behalf of the full Curriculum Committee and recommends approval or disapproval of the prerequisite, corequisite or advisory.

Requisites that are recommended for approval are placed on the Curriculum Committee meeting agenda for full Committee consideration of approval.

Questions about procedures for selection or establishment of prerequisites, corequisites, and advisories should be directed to the Assessment and Prerequisite Coordinator in the Matriculation Office.

Evaluation of the need for the establishment of prerequisites or corequisites to a new credit, degree-applicable course is initiated either by the department proposing the course or by the College Curriculum Committee. The final determination of need is based on the following Title 5 guidelines:

When the College Curriculum Committee determines that a student would be highly unlikely to receive a satisfactory grade unless the student has knowledge or skills not taught in the course, then a prerequisite or corequisite shall be established.

If success in the course is dependent on communication or computation skills which are not taught in the target course, then prerequisites or corequisites equivalent to eligibility for associate-degree level English and/or math courses shall be established.

If either of these conditions exists, the Curriculum Committee approval of the course for degree-applicability is contingent upon assurance that the department has begun efforts to establish the necessary prerequisites.

The specific policies for the establishment of CCSF prerequisites, corequisites, and advisories is based on the CCCCO “Model District Policy on Prerequisites, Corequisites, and Advisories on Recommended Preparation”.

Section II.C of the Course Outline of Record is used to indicate any proposed prerequisite, corequisites, and/or advisories for a course and the Curriculum Committee considers this section when examining the outline for approval. However, approval of the prerequisite, corequisite, or advisory also requires separate review of the requisite justification, as indicated in CurricUNET proposals. This information is acted on separately by the Curriculum Committee, but during the same meeting. Inclusion of approved prerequisites, corequisites, and advisories on the Course Outline of Record is required prior to submission of the course to the State Chancellor’s Office.

Revising only a Prerequisite, Corequisite, or Advisory

If a department wishes only to revise the prerequisite, corequisite, or advisory for a course, they shall submit a Modify Course or Modify Program proposal in CurricuNET and update the requisite information.

When contemplating the type of preparation needed for a course, departments must decide whether the preparatory knowledge/skills are either recommended or required. Consider the following:

If a student is highly unlikely to receive a satisfactory grade in a degree-applicable course unless he possesses preparatory skills not taught in the course, then a prerequisite must be established.

If two courses work in parallel, where the skills gained during the same term in one course provide essential support of the objectives of the other course, then these courses must be established as corequisites.

Advisories should be established if a student’s likelihood of receiving a satisfactory grade in a course is greater if he possesses preparatory skills (not taught in the course). Advisories are not required and do not limit enrollment. They are intended as guidance for students.

6.2.1 English, ESL, and Math Prerequisites

If communication or computation skills are needed for success in the target course or program, then the department will need to consider the appropriate English, ESL, or math course level that will provide the preparation needed. For credit, degree-applicable courses, Title 5 stipulates the establishment of prerequisites equivalent to eligibility for Associate Degree-level English, ESL, and Math courses. At CCSF, this means eligibility for ENGL 96, ESL 170 and MATH 860. However, for non degree-applicable courses, the course level of prerequisites will likely be lower.

Departments should consult with the English, ESL or Math Departments for their recommendations regarding prerequisite course levels based on their review of course material (e.g. textbooks, assignments, evaluation criteria). If needed, the Assessment and Prerequisite Coordinator can facilitate these communications.

Content Review is the only level of review required to establish an advisory or a sequential prerequisite within a discipline (e.g. CHEM 40 to CHEM 101A, or ESL 130 to ESL 140.) The requesting department will facilitate the completion of the Content Review information which is embedded in the CurricuNET proposals.

Content Review Process

Through CurricuNET, faculty who teach the target and prereq/coreq/advisory course describe the relationship between the target and requisite courses as follows:

On the requisites tab, choose the requisite courses from the menu. Those courses will bring in SLO data from those courses.

Explain why the skills/knowledge learned in the requisite course are essential (prerequisite) or highly recommended (advisory) for success in the target course. Refer to specific content and instructional methodology (e.g. assignments, instructional materials) of the target course. These details can be written as a paragraph or a list.

On the Content Overlap tab, list the names and departments of three faculty who wrote or were consulted in the writing of the Content Review, and who are knowledgeable about the requisite and/or target course. This “Content Review Panel” usually includes the department chair of the target course.

Model of completed Content Review

The example below clearly describes how the knowledge/skills learned in GRPH 101A are necessary for the successful completion of assignments and understanding of concepts taught in GRPH 101B.

Under the Content Overlap tab of the CurricUNET proposal, list the names and departments of three faculty who wrote or were consulted in the writing of the Content Review, and who are knowledgeable about the requisite and/or target course. This “Content Review Panel” usually includes the department chair of the target course. Then summarize the discussion and consensus that occurred.

Student Learning Outcomes in GRPH 110A

Construct single- and multi-page documents with text and image according to industry standards.

Apply & understand basics of typesetting.

Create & apply styles to format text & objects.

Create & manage graphic elements on the page.

Create and apply spot and process color to text and objects.

Preflight and package a document.

Knowledge/Skills learned in GRPH 101A are applied in GRPH 101B as follows:

GRPH 101B is an advanced Adobe InDesign page layout course, requiring an understanding of basic page layout techniques and principles taught in 101A, such as creating single-page and multi-page documents, setting type according to professional standards, and importing graphics and manipulating them.
The advanced course instructs students to

Build more complex, multi-page documents

Create and work w/ templates and grids using master pages, styles, and libraries.

Utilize advanced typesetting, as well as specialized formatting skills such as tables and books.

When proposed prerequisites/corequisites are not from the same discipline as the target course – e.g. communication or mathematics prerequisites to non-communication or non-math courses, the department will need to provide additional evidence of the appropriateness of the prerequisite/corequisite. Either of the following two types of evidence is acceptable:

Evidence that at least three CSU and/or UC campuses have established the same level of prerequisites for the same level target course.

Student outcome data (e.g. final grades) demonstrating that students’ satisfaction of the prerequisite is correlated to success in the target course. To allow time for data collection, the department may establish English, ESL and/or math prerequisites for a course on a pilot basis, using only the Content Review process. After two years, if data demonstrate that students are “highly unlikely to succeed in the course without possessing (language or math) skills not taught in the course,” then the prerequisite (or corequisite) will remain in effect. The Assessment and Prerequisite Coordinator facilitates the processes of data collection and analysis in collaboration with the Office of Research and the instructional department.

Once a prerequisite or corequisite has been approved by the Curriculum Committee, the department is expected to consistently enforce it for all sections of the course, preferably through the Banner course-registration system before the start of classes. Students who do not meet the stated prerequisite are blocked from enrolling in the course, and are referred to the Matriculation Office if they have questions. Contact the Assessment and Prerequisite Coordinator, Matriculation Office, for further information about Banner enforcement of prerequisites.

Students may challenge a prerequisite on the grounds that they have the prior knowledge or ability to succeed in the course despite not meeting the stated prerequisite. For a description of the challenge process, see Challenge of a Prerequisite or Corequisite in the online or print CCSF Catalog.

A “Limitation on Enrollment” specifically refers to a condition or requirement that a student must meet prior to enrollment in the following types of courses:

Performance Courses

Courses in this area include intercollegiate athletics, theatre arts, and music, for which an audition or tryout may be required.

Honors Courses

Honors courses require a specific scholastic aptitude prior to enrollment as students enrolled in honors sections will be expected to perform coursework at a higher standard than in traditional sections of the course.

Cohort Courses or Sections

This refers to courses or sections in which enrollment is designated for a specific cohort of students. Examples include learning communities such as the Puente Program.

If you would like to establish a Limitation on Enrollment, contact the Assessment and Prerequisite Coordinator.